Page 81 of Love is Blind
Pushing my fingers through my hair, I lower my head.
“I didn’t just lie to you, Ghost. I never told any of this to Emmy either.” I shrug my shoulders. “It sounds stupid, but I thought if I came here, I could put it all behind me and start over.”
“It ends now, Birdie. It ends with me.”
I lift my head.
“What does that mean?” I whisper.
“It means that hole behind you is about to become full.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ghost
As promisedMaverick had us all gathered around the table in the morning. I filled them in on everything Birdie had told me, and we went to work. Wiz got a full check on Ralphie, found out his operation was small, that he had small shop front in Charlotte—a dry cleaning place.
There wasn’t time to think things through. We needed to act fast before Angel threw Ralphie onto our scent, so as soon as Maverick slammed the gavel down, we were on the move.
We had a shipment going out of Sally’s and all our guns were already loaded on the reefer truck that Torque was scheduled to drive up north. Instead of unloading it and dismantling the guns, Maverick made the call for Torque to drive it to Charlotte and we’d follow on our bikes. It was a a smart move—not only did it get the guns to where Ralphie was, but the freezer would come in handy for transporting the bodies to their burial ground.
So everything was in place, there was just one order of business I needed to take care of.
Making my way toward my room, I pause at the end of the bar to where Ink stands with his arms wrapped around Emmy’s shoulders.
Last night Birdie held it together long enough to share her story, but after that, she broke apart. I called Ink and had him bring Emmy over to the clubhouse. I thought maybe it was me. After all I had given her all my dirty secrets. Every fucking sin and I didn’t even give her a chance to process it all.
Emmy’s eyes flit to me.
“How is she?” I ask hoarsely.
She shrugs her shoulders slightly, her eyes red and swollen.
“Holly’s in there with her now.” She pauses and shakes her head. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me any of this.” She brings her eyes back to me and stares at me for a beat. “I told you something was off with her. I should’ve been more persistent. I should’ve made her tell me. Instead I made her feel small.”
Even if Birdie had told Emmy what happened, there’s nothing she could’ve done to make the problems go away, but she did have a knack for making her cousin feel like an imbecile and that shit needed to end too.
“You done doin’ that?” I question. Her brows draw together, so I elaborate. “Told you once, Birdie ain’t made of glass, Em. She doesn’t need you to coddle her, she needs you to love her.”
“Isn’t that your job now?” she volleys.
Yeah, I guess it is.
But before I tell Em, I should probably share that much with Birdie first.
Tearing my eyes away from her and Ink, I turn and head down the hallway. The door to my room opens and Holly slips out. She lifts her head and our eyes lock for a moment.
“Hey,” she says, offering me a small smile. “You boys all set to get on the road?”
I shove my hands inside my pockets and rock back on my heels.
“Just about. I promise to keep Mav in one piece.”
She steps forward and gives my bicep a pat.
“Good, he promised Birdie he’d do the same.”
Maverick stepping away to give Birdie assurance should surprise me, but it doesn’t. Deep down I think I always knew if I found the right woman, my brother would see her as an extension of me and he’d do right by her.
